13 Definitive Starter Watches For New Watch Enthusiasts

Shop Watch Brands Featured In This Video:

In this video, I'll share some of my picks for the definitive best watches to check out for anyone looking to enter the watch-collecting lifestyle. I'll use four different personas: casual, office, hipster, and active, and also try to include more attainable picks as the entry-level position is where most enthusiasts begin their journey. What do you think of my choices? What other watches would include in a list like this?

Watches Featured:

Videos Mentioned:

0:00 - Intro & Organization
2:06 - Casual
8:35 - Office
13:09 - Hipster
17:09 - Active

[acp]

1. Don’t spend a fortune at first. 2. Get what you like, not what others say you should like. 3. Get your hands on a digital, a quartz and a mechanical/automatic watch and wear them in rotation. 4. Pay attention to the experience of each and think about what you like and don’t like about each 5. Study up on watches. 6. When you find a more expensive or quirky one you can’t stop thinking about, buy it. 7. Congratulations, you have something you love and can tell others why you love it, you area officially a collector

[paulobarbosa]

No joke, the thing I like the most when watching videos in this channel is the comment section, people really share great stories here, its fantastic.
By the way, I have a Seiko 5 SRPD63B1, I'm always glad to see I've done a great choice to buy this as my first watch!

[clj]

Started with a GShock I wore to my work since I'm an engineer and work in Manufacturing. After 5+ years on my wrist every day, I upgraded to a Kamasu for my first mechanical watch. The GShock was definitely my first and I think that the Kamasu would make a solid first choice too

[gcaps]

Every comment I’ve seen is a paragraph, which really testifies as to how passionate this community is. Great video Teddy!

[matteocavallin]

I think you’re right about Tissot being in most people’s watch journey’s. The Quartz Tissot Tradition Chronograph was my first watch that I really was obsessed with and got me into the world of watches. I got it as a high school graduation gift from my parents. Now I’m more into Japanese mechanical watches but Tissot started it all.

[chriscon]

My advice to anyone just starting out: get something you can wear for any occasion, like a Seiko or Hamilton, & also get a G-Shock for tough jobs or outdoor activities. Wear these 2 watches while you save for your grail. Do your research & homework while you save, & buy your grail & be done with it!

[boudicajones]

Picked up a 38mm Bambino (champagne dial) as my first watch last month and I’m absolutely in love with it. Perfect size, looks elegant, very comfortable and only loses a few seconds per day. Now my only problem is holding off from buying more watches so quickly!

[BobaVett]

Bambino was my first “quality” watch after watching Teddy’s videos and learning how to get into this hobby. Just ordered another Orient, on the higher end, and a BEAUTIFUL Hamilton, that I wouldn’t have been able to afford back when I first started watching his channel given my job at the time did not afford me the ability to buy anything over maybe $150-$200. Now I can start looking at and purchasing pieces that I would have only been able to window shop back then. The feeling of wearing a more “expensive” watch and knowing I earned the ability to do so, is one hell of a feeling.

[crndog]

I just purchased my first watch after watching a ton of videos from teddy, jenni and nico. I landed on a longines hydroconquest blue with the ceramic bezel with most of the credit going to teddy. Love it so much and wear it every day!

[ronbendavidheiman]

My first watches were the orient Bambino and the orient ray 2. I bought them together 4.5 years ago, still wear them on a daily basis. Great watches highly reliable and the Bambino is really fun when put on different straps. Highly recommended!

[garethhanna]

Can't go wrong with the Orient Bambino. I have the small seconds and 38mm, both fantastic watches with the 38mm running at +1 seconds per day. The new Seiko Prospex Alpinist is also worth a look, a definite step up from the Presage and on par with the Tissot Gentleman.

[rickyromano]

Just bought my son the Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic for his upcoming 18th birthday. He has some Casios and a decent 90's Seiko, but this will be his first Swiss Automatic. Rugged, feild ready watch, but with the smooth bezel, and leather strap it can be worn to the office or in more formal settings. Can't wait to give it to him.

[theroguedragon]

I recently got a Seiko 5 Sport as my first watch because of your videos and love it. I discovered your channel recently and just have been captivated by everything about watches. I always wanted to know more about watches, and your channel taught me a lot in the span of couple weeks. Love your channel, will definitely be keeping an eye for whenever you release any videos.

[eastcoastwatchconnection]

I found an old L.L. Bean khaki field quartz at a thrift shop in Maine for $5. It’s one of my favorite watches (and cheapest) but offers so much enjoyment 😁

[gotdatazz]

I just recently got into watches and bought my 1st 2 watches. I ended up going with the 40mm timex Waterbury and the 35mm tissot prx. You’ve gotten me hooked on watches and I’m in love. Thank you so much for spending your time and effort on making these videos and introducing new buyers like myself into the industry. Also thank you for being honest and not just trying to sell us a brand. You’re literally my new favorite channel❤️

[gcaps]

The watch that got me into watches was a blue Mini Focus quartz chronograph I got off Amazon. My dad had one and I liked it so I bought one for $30. Wearing a watch I thoroughly enjoyed for the first time sent me down the watch rabbit hole. I haven’t collected in a few years, but have recently got back into it with a Heimdallr SKX clone that my dad gave me. I bought my first watch in a few years a few weeks back; a Pagani Design PD1654. Budget watches are my favorite as there are some that are a great value for money, and having a kid now makes it hard to spend 2-300 per watch like I used to.

[funnyspence]

I started with the Hamilton Field Khaki and couldn’t be happier

[Tammacazi]

It was a Fossil Chronograph that got me started with watches. I'm so happy I bought that back in High school!

[paulc]

Some fine options here. The Seiko 5KX is an unbeatable choice really and I still cannot believe how well it wears on a skinny wrist. Like many here I started with Seiko and Tissot and still keep returning to these brands 30 years on. Surprised that not one Citizen Eco-Drive made the list though. Not comparable with Seiko and Tissot maybe but some of the dressy models like the Stiletto are very decent and the Eco-Drive system works extremely well. Room for at least one in every collection I think.

[motohand]

I started my watch collection in July. I bought two watches, a PRX Powermatic 80 and a Casio A-158W. These literally are the only watches I wear and I love it!